Sacramento’s 39th Annual Rally and March to end sexual, gender-based, and all forms of violence.

#WeMarchTogether #BelieveSurvivors

Over 500 expected to gather.

Sacramento, CA (October 11, 2018) – On Second Saturday, October 13, 2018 Sacramento’s 39th Annual Take Back the Night Rally and March will take place at the Sacramento Native American Health Center, Inc. (2020 J Street, Sacramento) from 5:30pm to 9:00pm. This event is aimed at empowering our community to resist and end sexual, gender-based, and all forms of violence through community-led action.

Keyko Torres, a board member of the Sacramento Take Back the Night organization, says “From Weinstein to Kavanaugh, from #MeToo to #TimesUp, the fight against gender-based violence and sexual assault is being highlighted in the media and has become the forefront of our conversations. With so many survivors coming forward and out of the shadows, Take Back the Night is very important, as it connects us to our local resources, provides a safe space, and says “We believe you, we believe survivors.”

While the appointment of Brett Kavanaugh to SCOTUS is extremely disappointing to so many, the one silver lining is that more survivors of sexual violence are speaking up and coming together to bring about change. One of the event organizers, Anita Ross, recently emceed a candlelight vigil for survivors at the state capitol, and says “The most eye-opening moment of the night was when I asked how many of us were a part of the MeToo movement and it looked like at least 80% of the crowd had their hands up.” Speaking up is part of the healing process for a survivor and so the fight for resisting and ending sexual violence will only get stronger.

This year’s event will feature powerful community leaders, activists, performers and survivors who are ready to send a strong message that survivors will not go quietly.

The Sacramento Take Back the Night event features three major components: A resource fair, featuring over 35 community organizations, a rally and a march. The rally will open with a Miwok Blessing and speakers include:

Anita Ross, Emcee: Women for Equality

Elaine Whitefeather: A Community For Peace

Ebony Ava Harper: California Endowment

Marissa Barrera: Activist

Eddie Carmona: PICO California

Jameer Sale: PSL

Desiree Rojas: Sacramento Labor Council For Latin American Advancement

Sacramento Take Back the Night recently made a last minute decision to withdraw from participating in the Compassionate Sacramento Launch/916 Day on Sunday, September 16th. After much consideration, we reached the conclusion that it is a conflict of our mission and purpose to participate in a city-backed event in which the majority of our local and intersectional community organizers are excluded. Additionally, we refute the designation of Sacramento as an official “Compassionate City” when there is so much inequality, suffering and injustice happening within our community while our city council looks on, continuing to allow harmful policies to be enforced.

On July 25, 2017 the Sacramento City Council passed a resolution drafted and presented by Compassionate Capital Region for Sacramento to be recognized internationally as Compassionate Sacramento — an aspirational title to help “align policy with community needs.”

With this resolution, Sacramento joined the Charter for Compassion as a participant in the International Compassionate Cities Initiative which supports governments and residents in planning and realizing initiatives that foster compassionate action in areas such as community building, social justice, equity, city-wide innovation, social entrepreneurship, civic engagement and governance.

In other words, the Sacramento City Council adopted a charter pledging to do the following:

Foster a community of inclusion, understanding the contributions of our diverse cultures;

Build caring communities;

Encourage a positive appreciation of diversity;

Cultivate an informed empathy with the suffering of others; and

Be moved by compassion in its public policy considerations.

Despite affirming this charter,the Sacramento City Council continues to approve and enforce funding and policies that harm the most vulnerable people in our communities: the poor, homeless, women, and people of color. Since passing this resolution, the City of Sacramento has and continues to:

Criminalize homelessness by allowing an anti-camping ordinance to be enforced;

Allow 6 months to pass without any justice for Stephon Clark;

Support a DA that does not press charges in police brutality and excessive force cases;

This is a FREE event – open to anyone interested in taking a stand to resist sexual, gender-based, and all forms of violence.

The event is free and open to all ages, and features a resource fair with over 40 community organizations and resources, activities for children and teens, and encourages men to become actively involved in ending violence.

The Resource Fair will kick-off the evening with more than 40 information and resource tables staffed by our local co-sponsors, and will continue throughout the Rally to provide information about the crucial services offered in our community.

Beginning at 6:00pm we will have an incredible Rally line-up, featuring music, speakers and performances, a survivor speak-out, community art projects, and more.

At 8:30pm we will take to the streets in protest – a tradition that has taken place in Sacramento since 1979.

Come out, bring your friends and family for an incredible night of activism, energy, and commitment to end sexual, gender-based, and ALL forms of violence!